The American Spectator

Excellent article about the dilemma facing Republicans a year from now, as the primaries get under way.

Rudy has considerable social issue baggage, as well as a definite opposition to the Second Amendment. Mitt has a history of baggage as well, re taxes and socialized medicine in Massachusetts. To most religious conservatives, being a Mormon is not a showstopper. McCain has no understanding of the Free Speech right delineated in the Constitution, and has often re-invented himself before the TV cameras. The man simply can’t be trusted.

These three have already committed themselves to running for President. A conservative voter, as I hope I am, can only hope someone else comes along to carry the party standard into the 2008 elections. I remain unconvinced that Newt is totally unelectable. He certainly doesn’t have any more personal baggage than Rudy, and he’s more conservative than the three mentioned above.

If Hillary, Barack, or John E. becomes president, I may have to acknowledge that my country has changed too much to survive, and simply keep my head down and encourage my sons and grandchildren to immigrate, or stay and watch the train wreck a Democratic government would cause. I might have to concede P.T. Barnum was correct that it’s impossible to underestimate the intelligence of the American public. (I know, that’s not what he said, but he meant the same thing.)

p>However, if Rudy or Mitt has an epiphany regarding their stands on Constitutional and Socialistic issues, they might win southern primaries. There’s nothing wrong with a politician realizing that they’ve been wrong about an issue in the past, and pledging never to go there again. However, they have to be sincere enough that people believe them. McCain has lost credibility, so I don’t think he has than option. br> — R. Goodson br> Vero Beach, Florida /p>

After reading Lisa Fabrizio’s excellent article, “The Rudy Dilemma,” the full scope of this dilemma and a corresponding revelation hit me. All three Republican front runners (McCain, Giuliani, Romney) have the same problem regarding various conservative issues. And all three candidates default to the war against terrorism as cover for their various conservative shortcomings. Any of the three Republicans would be better than any of the Democrat candidates on the war against terrorism. Yet none of the three Republicans would be among my top ten choices for president. My dilemma is whether any of these three are worth my vote, thereby setting myself up for continued disappointment just as my two votes for the current budget bloating, illegal immigrant loving, reckless Supreme Court nominating (Miers, not Roberts or Alito) White House occupant has done so frequently.

Conservatives keep turning to the war on terror as the key issue but it’s inherently complex and with few clear answers. Beyond the intricacies of who we need to fight, how, when, and where, let’s just jump to the final question as an example. How do we know when we’ve won? When all Muslims are dead? When all Muslims are democratic? When all Muslims are only killing each other? Everyone has an answer, none of which are perfect. Even worse, brilliant strategies are in shorter supply than perfect answers. So we look to the candidates to assure us that they understand the problem and will do something… something.

This is where Lisa’s article really hit me. In comparison to the war, how difficult are the following questions? Should I be able to own and carry a gun? Should abortions be available for the sake of (sexual) convenience? Should two men be allowed to marry? Should my taxes increase to fight global warming? Suddenly the issue isn’t whether I trust (pick a name) to fight terrorism while I try to ignore social or Constitutional matters. Now it becomes clear to me — if you can’t get the simple questions right, WHY should I trust your judgment on the complexity of war?

I’m unsure today about what decision I might make in the primary and presidential elections but I have serious doubts that any of the leading candidates is even worth my drive time to the voting booth. I pray that God will, in the coming months, inspire me with the insight to make the right decision by election day.

p>(The perfect answers to the simple questions are yes, no, no, and no.) br> —